Extensible tray



E. S. HARMON EXTENSIBLE TRAY Dec. 2, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed June 5, 1950 Earl .5. Harman INVENTOR.

Dec. 2, 1952 E. s. HARMON 2,520,032

EXTENSIBLE TRAY Filed June 5, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Earl $."Harmon INVENTOR.

BY M %,q,

Patented Dec.'2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in display devices for foodstuffs particularly, but can be employed to hold other articles.

An object of the invention is to display samples adjacent the usually manufactured articles whereby a number of samples may be distributed by the self-service method to thereby obviate the expense involved in personal distribution of samples.

Other objects and features of importance will become apparent in following the description of the illustrated form of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a part of a standard shelf found in a store, together with one of the articles of invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 3 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device in Figure 1 in the retracted position;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the jaw members forming a part of the clamp for the device; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a part of the means of connecting the sections with the center part or holder in the device.

The instant invention deals with an improved system of distributing articles, such as samples, recipes and the like and has particular utility in grocery stores, hardware stores, and other vending places. It is the purpose of the invention to avoid the expense of personal distribution of samples or other free items such as literature, and to distribute it in relation to the standard articles so as to suggest the purchase of one or more of the standard articles.

There is fragmentarily illustrated a portion of a shelf l0 which is typical of such shelves in many stores and many types of stores.

There is a tray generally indicated at [2 and including a pair of end sections l4 and I6 which are held assembled in the center section or holder IS. The holder is substantially U-shaped in cross section having legs 20 and 22 connected by a web or bottom 24. Rails 26 and 28 are fixed to the outside surface of the leg 2|] in order to accommodate advertising cards or other indicia bearing matter.

A pair of slots 30 and 32, respectively, are supplied in the bottom 24 of the holder I8 and these slots are parallel to each other. The slots serve the purpose of cooperating with the feet 34 and 36, respectively (Figure 6) to form a means of preventing the sections l4 and [6 from being separated from the center section or holder IS. The

feet 34 and 36 are substantially L-shaped and are passed through the slots 30 and 32 (Figure 3) so that the end sections 14 and I6 are capable of moving toward and away from each other only to the extent that the feet 34 and 36 can move in the slots 30 and 32. Accordingly, the tray is extensible in nature inasmuch as the sections are capable of sliding toward and away from each other to thereby vary the capacity of the tray.

In retaining the end sections l4 and 16 assembled with the holder, downwardly opening, substantially U-shaped guides 38 and 40 are formed at the upper edges of the legs 22 and 20, respectively, and the upper edges of the end sections l4 and I6 ride therein.

The clamp is provided for holding the holder l8 fixed to the shelf ID. This clamp consists of an upper plate 44 having a leg 46 depending therefrom. This leg 46 is provided with a slot 48. A lower plate adapted to engage the undersurface of the shelf I0 is provided with an upwardly extending leg 50 with a slot 52 therein. There is a slot 54 provided in the leg 22 and a means of retaining both plates and the holder assembled is disposed in the slots 48, 52 and 54. The preferable means consists of a screw 56 having a. wing nut 58 or other type of nut thereon. By reference to Figure 3, it will be seen that the plates 44 and 49 forming jaws are capable of being spread apart and retracted in order to thereby perform the duty of an adjustable clamp and, moreover, the clamp is adjustably secured to the tray so that the tray may be raised or lowered with respect to the clamp. The slots having the bolt 56 passed through the slots provides for such adjustability. The end sections I4 and I6 may be of any shape, for example the shape shown in Figure 1, wherein each section is provided with one end wall and two side walls, together with a bottom 60, said bottom being provided with the feet 34 and 36 (Figure 6). The ends may be rounded as disclosed in Figure 1 and in Figure 4 so as to provide an attractive device.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An extensible tray for attachment to the edge of a shelf comprising a central U-shaped section having a bottom and longitudinal upper edge channel guides therein opening downwardly,

a pair of end sections slidably fitted in said center section to extend oppositely out of same and having upper edges guided in said guides, said center section having side by side longitudinal bottom slots therein, feet on the bottoms of said end sections depending through said slots and sliding in the same to limit sliding of said end sections, and means to secure the center section to the edge of a shelf.

2. An extensible tray according to claim 1 wherein said feet are L-shaped to depend through said slots and overlap the bottom of the center section at one edge of the slots.

EARL S. HARMON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,858,179 Bay May 10, 1932 2,073,403 Goldberg Mar. 9, 1937 2,286,898 Cover June 16, 1942 2,291,870 Blair et al. Aug. 4, 1942 2,475,961 Hilbert July 12, 1949 

